Scorchers overcome 5 for 7 collapse and Marsh heroics to remain unbeaten

Perth Scorchers overcame a late batting collapse and a Shaun Marsh masterclass to post a 13-run win over Melbourne Renegades in front of 42,226 fans at Optus Stadium in their BBL fixture on Tuesday.

Scorchers lost a remarkable seven wickets for just five runs in the space of 18 balls in their innings to go from 157 for 3 in 16.4 overs to 162 all out in 19.4 overs. In reply, Marsh scored 59 off 36 balls to guide Renegades to within touching distance of victory.

Renegades needed 35 more runs off 20 balls after Marsh fell. The equation came down to 17 needed off the final over - bowled by Andrew Tye. Jonathan Wells was caught on the second ball of the over and Kane Richardson fell next delivery, with Renegades limping to 149 for 8.

It left Renegades winless after five games, while Scorchers (three wins, one no-result) are yet to lose this season.

Marsh, a former Scorchers star, had been sidelined from the first four games this season because of a lingering knee injury that has affected him for the best part of 2023. A misfield during the Scorchers innings showed his rustiness. But he looked far more at home with bat in hand, cracking four fours and three sixes during his innings.

He needed just 28 balls to bring up his half-century, with his knock lifting Renegades after they had made a slow start to the run chase.

Batting at No. 4, Marsh arrived at the crease for the start of the seventh over after Jake Fraser-McGurk had been run-out at the non-striker's end in unlucky fashion. Tye got his boot to a Joe Clarke straight drive, catching Fraser-McGurk in no-man's land.

With Clarke (32 in 33 balls) struggling for fluency, Marsh ensured the scoreboard ticked over at an adequate rate before upping the ante later in his innings.

Marsh received a life on 24 when he was dropped by a diving Cooper Connolly, and he finally fell in the 17th over when he edged a 118kph Lance Morris slower ball behind.

The wheels fell off for Renegades after that, with Jhye Richardson, Jason Behrendorff and Tye producing some tight overs at the death to tie them down.

Earlier, Scorchers slumped to 4 for 2 in the second over after openers Zak Crawley and Connolly fell in quick succession. After that, big hands from Josh Inglis (64 in 44) and new skipper Aaron Hardie (57 in 41) put Scorchers on track for a score close to 200.

But then came the collapse.

Hardie was the first to fall in that sequence when he was caught in the deep.

Three balls later, Nick Hobson holed out.

Will Sutherland then sent Laurie Evans (24 in 15), Ashton Agar and Tye packing in the 19th over, with all three batters out caught.

Renegades even completed a team hat-trick when Jhye Richardson fell first ball of the 20th over, and Scorchers were put out of their misery when Morris was run-out three deliveries later.

Tom Rogers was the standout bowler for Renegades with figures of 3 for 18 from his four overs, while Sutherland's late heroics ensured he ended with 3 for 36.

Star spinner Adam Zampa (1 for 48) copped a battering, but he did take the wicket of Hardie.